Cara Dillon Christmas Tour 2025 Queen's Hall Edinburgh 14th December Review
Cara Dillon was at the Queen's Hall Edinburgh tonight, a show that was part of her current "Christmas Tour 2025". Many of the songs tonight, Christmas and otherwise, are from Cara Dillon's 2016 album "Upon A Winter's Night", and these Christmas shows have now become annual events.
Many people in the audience tonight will also have been familiar with Cara Dillon as one of the most unique and identifiable voices in contemporary/traditional folk music, and as with any songs that Cara chooses to sing, there is always that emotional warmth to them.
If you wanted a sugar coated traditional Christmas show then this was probably the perfect one to go to. Even if Christmas Carols are not high on your personal agenda, that does not matter as Cara Dillon has one of those voices that simply soothes your soul - all you have to do is sit back and listen.
This show was a mixture of traditional and very well-known songs plus some that may not have been that familiar to some people (including myself). There were also original songs and instrumentals here too.
Some songs have to be in this show as audiences simply expect to hear them. One of course is "Silent Night". Another is "O Holy Night", and Cara's solo rendition of this at the start of the second half of this show was obviously for many people one of this evening's highlights.
On stage with Cara Dillon tonight were her band -Sam Lakeman - (Piano, Guitar), Conal McDonagh (Uilleann Pipes, Whistles), Ed Boyd (Guitar) and Toby Shaer (Fiddle, Whistle) with each adding much to the overall sound, warmth and atmosphere of this show. Sam Lakeman's "The Huntsman" gave us all an insight into just how good a songwriter he is,
This show still has some dates to run on this tour, so I don't want to give too many songs away, but as you might expect "I Saw Three Ships" and “The Holly and The Ivy" were there tonight and, as you would also expect, with musical arrangements that highlight Cara Dillon's vocals to their best.
This show is what it is, a warm, friendly Christmas themed night out for any age of audience.
Review by Tom King (c) 2025
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
Many people in the audience tonight will also have been familiar with Cara Dillon as one of the most unique and identifiable voices in contemporary/traditional folk music, and as with any songs that Cara chooses to sing, there is always that emotional warmth to them.
If you wanted a sugar coated traditional Christmas show then this was probably the perfect one to go to. Even if Christmas Carols are not high on your personal agenda, that does not matter as Cara Dillon has one of those voices that simply soothes your soul - all you have to do is sit back and listen.
This show was a mixture of traditional and very well-known songs plus some that may not have been that familiar to some people (including myself). There were also original songs and instrumentals here too.
Some songs have to be in this show as audiences simply expect to hear them. One of course is "Silent Night". Another is "O Holy Night", and Cara's solo rendition of this at the start of the second half of this show was obviously for many people one of this evening's highlights.
On stage with Cara Dillon tonight were her band -Sam Lakeman - (Piano, Guitar), Conal McDonagh (Uilleann Pipes, Whistles), Ed Boyd (Guitar) and Toby Shaer (Fiddle, Whistle) with each adding much to the overall sound, warmth and atmosphere of this show. Sam Lakeman's "The Huntsman" gave us all an insight into just how good a songwriter he is,
This show still has some dates to run on this tour, so I don't want to give too many songs away, but as you might expect "I Saw Three Ships" and “The Holly and The Ivy" were there tonight and, as you would also expect, with musical arrangements that highlight Cara Dillon's vocals to their best.
This show is what it is, a warm, friendly Christmas themed night out for any age of audience.
Review by Tom King (c) 2025
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
Please note that unless requested by performers/pr/venues that this website no longer uses the "star rating" system on reviews.